How 23% of DEATHS in England and Wales could be avoided with a healthier lifestyle

NEARLY a quarter of all deaths in England and Wales could be prevented by people leading a healthier lifestyle, figures show.

A balanced and healthy lifestyle could eradicate almost one fifth of deaths in England and Wales[GETTY Pic Posed By Model]

Bad eating, drinking and smoking have taken their toll on the nation with heart disease the chief cause of avoidable death for men and lung cancer for women.

The Office for National Statistics says 23 per cent of deaths in 2012 are the result of “certain conditions which should not occur in the presence of timely and effective health care or through wider public health interventions”.

The figure represents 112,493 of all 499,331 deaths and compares with 135,724 of 532,498 in 2003.

Rates of deaths that could be prevented have been steadily declining over the last decade.

Excellent work is going on right across the country to meet the challenges our five biggest killer diseases bring.

Department of Health spokeswoman

But the figures show men are more likely to die from avoidable causes than women, with 28 per cent – 67,548 out of 240,238 men – dying compared with 17 per cent or 44,945 of 259,093 women in 2012.

The report’s authors found that avoidable mortality rates were higher in Wales than England from 2001 to 2012.

Simon Gillespie, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “Coronary heart disease continues to scar the lives of millions.

“Last year governments in England and Wales published new strategies for tackling heart disease. If we want to stop lives being needlessly lost it is vital that health commissioners and local authorities implement these plans.”

A Department of Health spokeswoman said: “Whilst it is great news that fewer people are dying from avoidable causes, there is still more to do so that everyone has the same opportunity to lead a healthy life.

“We want to be among the best in Europe at reducing premature mortality and ensuring people live not only longer, but well.

“Excellent work is going on right across the country to meet the challenges our five biggest killer diseases bring.

“We are supporting this work nationally and working with the NHS and Public Health England to identify health issues early on, target resources and make every contact with the health service count.” The figures show preventable deaths varied across regions. In 2012, death rates for men were highest in the North-west (253.5 per 100,000 population) and lowest in the East of England (181.1 per 100,000).

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For women, rates were also highest in the North-west (159 per 100,000) and lowest in the South-east (111.5 per 100,000).

Between 2001 and 2006 heart disease was the top cause of avoidable death but since 2007, neoplasms – cancers and non-cancerous abnormal tissue growths in the trachea, bronchus and lung – have taken over. Public Health England’s Professor John Newton said: “This shows that the decline in deaths from cardiovascular disease is the result of both good quality care and prevention.

“We need to see the same results for cancer deaths by making sure we look for every opportunity to prevent cancer, diagnosing it early and treating it most effectively in every case.”

Matt Wickenden, of Cancer Research, said: “Too many people are dying of cancers that could be prevented, which is why Cancer Research UK is investing in research to help to prevent some cancers developing in the first place.

“By far the biggest risk factor for cancer is smoking, which causes almost a fifth of all cases at the same time as increasing the risk of many other diseases.”